(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)
Brussels, July 15 (Petra) -- Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in the European Union, Josep Borrell, Monday chaired the fifteenth EU-Jordan Association Council meeting.
In a press conference following the meeting in Brussels, Safadi, Borrell and European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Policy Oliver Varheli discussed the "strong" ties between Jordan and the EU.
Safadi said, "We discussed European support for Jordan and his majesty King Abdullah II's successful visit to Brussels last November when the European Union announced a development aid package to support economic development in Jordan.
"Today we reviewed the progress made in this direction, and we thank the European Union for supporting Jordan and its full commitment to supporting reform programmes, whether political, economic or administrative."
He added, "We look forward to working more with the European Union to mitigate the impact of regional crises on Jordan so that we can continue to move forward with our economic reforms."
On Syria, Safadi said, "The solution to the problem of Syrian refugees is their voluntary return to their country, and we will not accept the continuation of the status quo. We have offered everything we can to support a decent life for Syrian refugees in Jordan, and we are continuing to do everything in our power to help our Syrian brothers.
"But the truth is that we will not be able to do this alone, and any decrease in support for refugees will be reflected in our ability to provide the decent life they deserve," noting the ongoing work with other stakeholders to ensure the voluntary of Syrian refugees.
On Gaza, Safadi said, "The aggression against Gaza must end, and violations of international law and war crimes must end, and the only way for the Palestinians, Israelis and the region to achieve peace is to reach a solution that allows the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital."
He added, "Our focus must be directed at ending this war and this humanitarian catastrophe and ensuring the implementation of international law."
Borrell said, "Jordan is an indispensable partner for us, for the European Union, and a pillar of regional stability."
He added, "In today's meeting, we discussed our bilateral cooperation and confirmed [our] common willingness to further enhance it, as I said, in the strategic domains like security, political, apart from the economic and trade areas.
"I reiterated the European Union's commitment to continue supporting the implementation of Jordan's triple modernisation process in which you are engaged – political, economic and public administration reforms."
Varheli said, "We are aware of the economic, political and social circumstances and challenges facing Jordan, so we presented a proposal to the Council and the European Parliament with additional support for Jordan."
The EU and Jordan agreed to strengthen economic and private-sector development cooperation. In this context, the second meeting of the "EU-Jordan Investment Platform" and the organisation of the first-ever "EU-Jordan Business Forum" of 11 June 2024 in Amman.
Both sides also confirmed their commitment to continue their mutual engagement in the justice sector, on security and counter-terrorism, as well as to increase efforts to combat the smuggling of drugs and weapons targeting Jordan and neighbouring countries, with also consequences for the EU. The EU underlined its readiness to continue assisting Jordan in tackling these challenges, including through the European Peace Facility.
The meeting allowed for an exchange of views on regional crises and global challenges.
Recalling the different United Nations General Assembly resolutions on Ukraine, the EU and Jordan reiterated their shared principles in line with the UN Charter of respect for international law, territorial integrity, national sovereignty and the need to solve conflicts peacefully.
They condemned all violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights across all conflict areas.
The EU and Jordan will redouble efforts to reach an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza that ends the war and the humanitarian catastrophe it causes without delay.
They will reiterate their call for the immediate and full implementation of the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and support for the US ceasefire proposal announced on 31 May 2024 as per UNSC Resolution 2735.
They welcomed the Summit held in Jordan on 11 June at the joint initiative of His Majesty King Abdullah II, President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a "Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza," and the EU confirmed its readiness to leverage its instruments to support the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza via the Jordanian corridor.
Both sides stressed the necessity to uphold International Law and to protect civilians per the universal principles of International Humanitarian Law, rejection of violence against civilians and any form of individual or collective displacement, forced or otherwise, of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The EU and Jordan also underlined the essential role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in providing services to millions of people in the region, expressing commitment to continue supporting the Agency to fulfil its UN mandate.
The EU and Jordan reiterated that the only path to a just, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the conflict in the Middle East is the two-state solution that ends the occupation and leads to the establishment of an independent, contiguous, sovereign and viable Palestinian State based on the lines of 4 June 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The EU and Jordan discussed upholding the historical status quo for the holy sites in Jerusalem, especially the historical Hashemite Custodianship.
The EU and Jordan discussed ending the Syrian crisis through a political solution according to UN Security Council Resolution 2254, preserving the unity and territorial integrity of Syria, ensuring the enduring defeat of terrorism, alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people and leading to conditions conducive to the voluntary, dignified and safe return of refugees.
The parties discussed implementing the outcomes of the Amman Declaration of 1st May 2023 and Cairo Statement of 15th August 2023, encompassing the 'Step for Step' approach and the role of the Arab Liaison Contact Group in Syria.
The EU, which remains the largest donor to the Syria response amid dwindling international support, reaffirmed its "unabated" commitment to continue supporting refugee and host communities in Jordan and in the region, as manifested by the significant pledges mobilised by the recent Brussels VIII Conference on "Supporting the future of Syria and the region" (27 May 2024).
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